Dawn and Andrew
by Another SVU Junkie
Summary: This is a companion to Holding Hope. I wrote this for everyone who wanted to know why this couple came about. So here it is.


Title: Dawn & Andrew

Author: Kadence Malfoy

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters to buffy the vampire slayer; I only own the story line and the characters I make up.

Summery: companion to holding hope. How did Andrew and Dawn become a couple? I'll tell ya in this fic.

A/n: People have asked me to tell them how everyone got together so I wrote this. This is the first story for the couples of holding hope that I'm going to write. This is a one shot story.

Andrew held the door to the restaurant open as his date dawn went in first. She looked back at him smiling brightly.

"Thank you," Dawn told him.

Andrew couldn't help but smile back.

"Your welcome."

Andrew led her over to the counter where he told them their names. He had made a reservation first. The waitress led them to a table in the back. It was a quiet part of the restaurant and it was somewhat private. Andrew had saved up all his paychecks to take her to this fancy place and he didn't mind. He remembered how they had been leaving the French class they both took. He was going back to college to learn as many languages as he could just like Dawn. They wanted to work in the translation department at the council but only knew a few languages. He had turned to Dawn and the question just came out. He had been surprised when she had said yes.

"What are you thinking about?" Dawn asked breaking Andrew out of his thoughts.

"About how pretty you are," Andrew replied before he could stop himself.

Dawn blushed from the compliment. She smiled sheepishly. They were saved from discussing it anymore when the waitress came back to take their order. Dawn went first and ordered fettuccini Alfredo while Andrew ordered chicken Parmesan. When the waitress left with their orders Andrew turned his attention back to Dawn.

"How did you do on yesterday's Latin test?" Andrew asked.

Dawn smiled at his effort not to bring up his beloved star wars and comics.

"I got a hundred," replied Dawn, "What did you get?"

Andrew smiled.

"I got a ninety four," replied Andrew, "I didn't quite understand the last part."

"I'll help you some time," Dawn offered.

Andrew smiled brightly. He knew that Dawn could help him. She was excellent at every language. This year they were only taking French, Latin, German, and a class for Dead languages. And as far as Andrew knew Dawn had gotten straight hundreds on every exam.

"Thanks."

Dawn returned the smile. He was mesmerized by the smile that he didn't know the food was there till it was placed in front of them. He smiled appreciatively at the waitress and turned back to Dawn. They began to eat in a comfortable silence. Every once in a while starting a random topic that left them both laughing. Andrew thought that it would be more awkward but now that he was there it was wonderful and he was having the time of his life. He soon forgot that he was a dork and didn't mention star wars or anything else like that once. After they were finished eating Andrew paid the bill and they left the restaurant. They stepped out onto the streets of LA. It was darker then when they went in. Across the street was a ice cream parlor. Andrew turned to Dawn. A smile graced his lips.

"Would you like some ice cream?" Andrew asked.

Dawn looked across the street at the ice cream parlor and her smile brightened. Ice cream was her favorite food.

"Sure."

Andrew and Dawn rushed across the street while their was a hiatus of cars on the street and into the parlor. They went up to the counter and ordered to vanilla and chocolate sundaes that had hot fudge, whipped cream, and sprinkles. Then they grabbed a table to wait for their ice cream.

"Isn't it so weird that we like the same ice cream?" Dawn asked smiling.

Andrew smiled as well.

"I guess. I wonder what else we like that's the same," replied Andrew.

While they thought of other things the waiter brought them their ice cream. They dug into their icecream.

"What's your favorite color?" Andrew asked, "Mine is blue."

"Mine is green."

Dawn thought a moment as she ate another scoop of her ice cream.

"If you had to choose between Will and Grace and Friends, which would you choose?" Dawn asked.

Andrew pretended to think as he ate another spoonful of ice cream.

"Will and Grace. Hands down. Karen and Jack are the funniest," replied Andrew.

Dawn laughed.

"That's exactly what I think. Everyone thinks Will and Grace are so funny but it's really Karen and Jack that make the show," exclaimed Dawn happily.

She was glad she found some one who shared her thinking.

"Okay. Um…. If you could go to any country what would it be?" Andrew asked.

Dawn took a moment to think. She ate a couple spoons full of ice cream as she tried to come up with an answer.

"I would go to Italy. The foods great and the sites are amazing."

Andrew nodded his head in agreement. A bright smile played upon his lips.

"Exactly what I was thinking."

They continued going out on dates almost every night. Except not to fancy restaurants. Andrew couldn't afford that and college. They went to museums, the beach, had picnics in the park, or just went to carnivals. Everything was going great. No one knew about there relationship because they had been too busy with school anyway that they didn't really talk to the Scooby gang. One night Andrew was walking Dawn back to the dorms when a vampire jumped out of nowhere.

"Ooh a tasty treat," the man vampire grinned.

He morphed into his vampire face and was surprised when Andrew and Dawn didn't scream or run in fear. Andrew took this moment of surprise to punch the vampire in the face and kick him in the stomach. He had to protect his girl friend after all. The vampire fell to the floor but was up in seconds and had thrown Andrew at least five feet into a tree. He fell to the ground limp. Dawn turned from her boy friend back to the vampire. Fear etched in her eyes and was written all over her face.

"The vampire has the power," Dawn mumbled from when her sister was teaching her how to fight.

"Damn straight," He snapped before lunging.

Dawn punched him in the stomach but it didn't waver him. He turned her around and moved her hair out of the way of her neck. Dawn expected pain in her neck from when the vampire bit down but nothing came.

"No," she heard the vampire scream before the vampire's grip disappeared.

Dawn turned around fearfully and found one of her sister's old friends behind her. She wanted to say her name was Cordelia Chase. But she then remembered her fallen boy friend and she ran over to him. Angel leaned over him trying to see if he was all right. By the time Dawn reached him he was just waking up.

"Dawn," Andrew called when he was fully awake.

Dawn kneeled down next to him. Worry shone in her eyes.

"I'm right here," Dawn assured him.

Andrew sighed in relief and pulled her into a hug. He kissed the top of her head. The reality sunk into Dawn and she began to cry.

"Ssh. Don't cry. It's okay. We're okay," Andrew whispered into her ear.

"I thought I lost you," Dawn cried, "I guess I never realized how much you mean to me till now."

Andrew held her close. He hadn't realized how much she meant to him until the vampire appeared. He looked over her shoulder and saw Angel and Cordelia standing there. A moment later Dawn had stopped crying and he helped her up. Andrew still had an arm wrapped around her shoulder protectively. They walked over to Angel and Cordelia.

"Thank you," Dawn said.

Andrew echoed her thanks. They two waved it off.

"It's what we do," Angel told them.

Dawn and Andrew nodded. Dawn hoped that he didn't bring up Buffy. She would be uncomfortable talking to him as the ex if that were the case. And she didn't know what her sister would want her to say.

"What brings you to LA Dawn?" Cordelia asked.

"Andrew and I are talking some of the language classes over at the college. We want to work at the translation department of the Watchers Council," replied Dawn.

Angel smiled. He was glad that Dawn had found something she wanted to do.

"Andrew. Why does that name sound familiar?" Cordelia asked.

"He's Tuckers brother. He realized the demon monkey's on the prom," replied Dawn.

Andrew didn't correct her by saying exactly what kind of demon monkey's they were. He wasn't that nerd anymore.

"Right. I remember that," Cordelia said.

Angel looked confused. Cordelia patted his shoulder.

"I'll tell ya about it later," She assured him.

Angel nodded. He was still trying to remember the event. Then he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

"Let me drive you two back. My car is just over there," Angel told them.

Andrew nodded. They followed Angel and Cordelia to the car. Chatting about things in the news or past memories they shared. After Angel dropped them off at Dawn's dorm they got out forgetting that Andrew lived in the next building. But since Dawn had stolen many of his clothes claiming they were more comfortable they decided he could spend the night in her dorm. They didn't have class until ten the next morning and he would be able to go and get his books. Andrew came back from the bathroom and found Dawn lying on her bed on her stomach flicking through the channels for something to watch. Andrew lay down beside her putting an arm across her back. Dawn immediately rested her head on his shoulder.

"There's nothing on," Dawn complained.

Andrew took the remote from her.

"I can find something," Andrew announced.

"Good Luck."

After a moment of flipping through the channels he found a channel that was playing Will and Grace. He smiled happily but wisely kept quiet. Dawn did too. They watched the episode. Laughing when Karen or Jack did something funny or gasping when something happened that they didn't expect. By the time the episode was over they were both asleep.

A month later they went across town to where Buffy and everyone lived for Christmas. Dawn and Andrew walked into the house around eight at night the day before Christmas Eve. Dawn's hand rested in Andrew's. The dropped their bags next to the door.

"Buffy," Dawn called out.

"In the kitchen Dawnie," Buffy called back.

Dawn dragged Andrew into the kitchen. Buffy sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee. Spike sat next to her reading some papers. Spike looked up and immediately smelt Andrew on Dawn. Spike smirked not expecting that one. Buffy also noticed the handholding and looked at them weird. At first she thought it was just because Dawn had dragged him into the kitchen but when she didn't let go she became suspicious.

"Is there anything you want to tell me Dawn?" Buffy asked.

"Not that I…"

Then Dawn remembered that she hadn't had time to tell anyone that they were an item.

"Oh yeah. I've sorta been seeing Andrew," Dawn added.

Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't know you liked geeks niblit," Spike teased.

Dawn shot him a glare.

"He's not a geek anymore," Dawn shot back.

Andrew rolled his eyes next to him.

"How long have you been dating?" Buffy asked.

Dawn added up the months in her head, but there were just too many."

"A month after we started there," replied Dawn.

Buffy nearly choked. That was like eleven months. Almost a year. Spike stood.

"Why don't we leave them to catch up," Spike told Andrew.

Andrew nodded. He knew Dawn would want to catch up with her sister seeing as they hadn't really spoken that much since she started school. And he knew Buffy would want all the details about them. He kissed Dawn quickly before leaving the room with Spike. Dawn slid into a seat across from Buffy.

"So when did you start dating?" Buffy asked her sister.

"You're dating someone?"

Dawn and Buffy looked up to find Willow and Kennedy come in. They took a seat at the table.

"Apparently Dawn and Andrew are an item," replied Buffy.

Willow and Kennedy looked at Dawn in surprise.

"You're dating that nerd?" Kennedy asked since she was the first one to recover from shock.

Dawn glared at her just as he had glared at Spike.

"He's not a nerd anymore," Dawn repeated.

"So when did you start dating?" Buffy asked to move the conversation on.

Dawn told them all about their first date. They sat and in amazement as she described it thinking how much Andrew had changed.

"You mean he didn't mention those weird things he always used to talk about?" Willow asked.

Dawn shook her head.

"Not once."

"That's a little hard to believe," Kennedy told them.

The next night Dawn sat on Andrew's lap on one of the overstuffed chairs in Buffy's house. It was Christmas Eve and everyone was there. Buffy and Spike sat on the couch with Kennedy and Willow. Anya sat on Xander's lap in the other overstuffed chair. Giles, Faith, and Wood had pulled chairs in. Spike and Buffy's three-year-old son Tyler and Five year-old daughter Keely were upstairs sleeping with Anya and Xander's three-year-old son Shane, Faith and Wood's three-year-old son Bailey, and Willow and Kennedy's adopted son three-year-old Marco. They had just finished opening gifts. Then Dawn turned to Andrew.

"You said you had a big gift for me. I haven't seen anything really big," Dawn told him.

Everyone laughed.

"So the diamond earrings I bought you aren't big enough?" Andrew asked, "Maybe I should return them."

Dawn shook her head.

"No that's okay," Dawn exclaimed.

This gained a laugh from everyone again. Andrew smiled.

"No but I do have another gift," Andrew told her.

Dawn looked over at the tree. She didn't see any more gifts.

"No it's in my suit case," Andrew told her, "I wasn't sure if I wanted to wait to give it to you tomorrow."

Dawn smiled eagerly.

"No you can give it to me now," Dawn told him.

She was eager to find out what the big present was. Andrew slid out from under her and disappeared up stairs. Dawn shared a glance with her family.

"What do you think it is?" Dawn asked.

"We'll soon find out Dawnie," replied Xander.

"I don't know if he can top those diamond earrings he bought you Dawnster," Willow added.

Dawn glanced at her sister. She wore a all knowing smile.

"You know what it is," Dawn exclaimed.

Before Dawn could say anything Andrew came down and smiled down at Dawn.

"Can we talk in the other room?" Andrew asked.

He didn't want to do what he had to do in front of everyone. Dawn nodded and followed him into the room next door. She was curious to find out what he meant. He sat her down in the chair and kneeled in front of her. It didn't hit Dawn about what he wanted.

"Dawn," Andrew began, "These past eleven months have been the best days of my life. I wouldn't have traded them for anything in the world. I've grown up a lot and I've realized something. I love you so much."

Dawn had tears in her eyes. She didn't know where it was going but was so happy that he was telling her this. Neither of them realized that everyone was listening on the other side of the door. Andrew pulled a velvet box out of his pocket and Dawn gasped when she realized what he was doing. Her eyes widened. Andrew opened the box and showed her the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It looked so expensive.

"Will you marry me?" Andrew asked.

Tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She had never been happier then she was in that moment. She leaned down and captured Andrew's lips in a soft kiss.

"Is that a yes?" Andrew asked when they parted.

Dawn bobbled her head.

"Of course it's a yes," Dawn cried.

Andrew took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. Her smile lit up her face. He pulled her into a hug and another kiss that turned heated as they went. When they pulled apart they went into the to the other room. They didn't need to say anything before everyone jumped up hugging Dawn and Andrew and looking at the ring.

The End

A/N: And that my friends is how Andrew and Dawn became a couple. More companion stories will be coming in the next weeks. Enjoy! And don't forget to R&R. If I see that people are enjoying these then I will be forced to write more.

Kadence Malfoy


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